There are a considerable number of commercial items (objects) that come with molded or cut-in keyhole slots (blind slide-mounts). There is also a range of tools available for the do-it-yourself (DIY) population to generate their own keyhole slots, such as in picture frames. And further still, there is a large selection of add-on keyhole slot hardware available to consumers.
Blind slide-mounts (e.g. keyhole slots) are very desirable by virtue of having no visible mounting hardware. That virtue also defines the key issue associated with all keyhole slots (blind slide-mounts)—determining where on the mounting surface the fasteners should be located to ensure the object ends up mounted in the desired alignment. The vast majority of commercial items come without mounting templates, and certainly that is the case for DIY/add-on applications. Making a template can be tedious and time consuming. Determining the mount fastener locations using measurements is considerably more complex, and often results in the inability to mount an object due to slight errors. And in all cases, using either measurements or templates, there is no consideration for the actual 3D geometry of an object which can result in interference with a nearby object or visual displeasure.
What is needed is a device that allows an object-to-be-mounted to be used as its own “template” for determining mount fastener locations, with a key focus on being very easy to use to achieve first-time accuracy, and having broad applicability to virtually all keyhole slot (blind slide-mount) types and configurations.
Applicant's previously-filed PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/US2016/053208 (Published on Mar. 30, 2017 as WO 2017/053636) disclosed certain expedients for a blind slide-mount fastener alignment apparatus, kit and method. The instant disclosure presents further innovations which extend beyond the teachings of Applicant's previously-published work.